Green’s Dictionary of Slang

ringv.

1. in senses of change, alteration [fig. use of abbr. SE phr. ring the changes].

(a)
[mid-18C] (UK Und.) to change a good coin for a counterfeit.

(b)
[mid-18C+] (alsoringer) to change, to alter; thus ringing castors, changing hats, typically by going to some public place, stealing an expensive hat from where it has been deposited and leaving a cheap one; ring togs, to change clothes.

(c)
[mid-19C] to desert, i.e. a lover.

(d)
[mid-19C] (UK Und.) used of individuals or groups, to substitute, to swap.

(e)
[mid-19C] to substitute cards.

(f)
[mid–late 19C] (UK Und.) to be disturbed in the act of a robbery, and thus having to flee without the goods.

(g)
[late 19C+] to cheat.

(h)
[1900s-40s] (US) to illegally substitute a horse for another in a horserace.

(i)
[1900s] to substitute crooked dice.

(j)
[1910s] (US Und.) as ring up, to assume a disguise.

(k)
[1940s+] to alter a car for the purposes of using it as a getaway vehicle, hold-up van etc, or for reselling it to an unsuspecting customer.

(l) (UK Und.) to pretend.

2.
[late 19C+] (Aus.) to be the most successful shearer in a shed. [ringer n. (1a); ult. SE ring the bell, to win a victory].

3.
[late 19C] (Aus.) to be sucessful in non-shearing contexts.

4.
[1960s] to open and then steal the contents of a cash register [the ring of the ‘no change’ key on an old-fashioned till].